Broadcast advertisement adapting method and apparatus

• US 20050166224A1
• Filed: 01/26/2005
• Published: 07/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Michael Ficco
• Original Assignee: Michael Ficco
• Inventors: Ficco, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,572,639 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/35
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/106 Receiver-side switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/46 for recognising users' preferences
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/65 for using the result on users' side
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/242 Synchronization processes, e.g. processing of PCR [Program Clock References] arrangements for synchronising broadcast or distribution via plural systems in broadcast distribution systems H04H20/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/458 Scheduling content for creating a personalised stream, e.g. by combining a locally stored advertisement with an incoming stream; Updating operations, e.g. for OS modules ; time-related management operations arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or during the distribution H04H20/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/088 the inserted signal being digital
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309

Abstract

Techniques of adapting an advertisement previously broadcast or in the process of being broadcast are disclosed. An advertisement selection factor is generated in order to adapt ads to a particular recipient. The advertisement selection factor can be derived from a database of information concerning the recipient and/or from data input by the recipient. The ad may be adapted in a variety of ways including replacing a broadcast ad segment with another segment. The replacement ad segment may be stored in a local device such as a set-top box or hardware card of a TV or PC and selected according to the advertisement selection factor. The replacement ad segment is synchronized with the on-going broadcast to produce a seamless ad. Alternatively, an ad processing can change audio or visual characteristics of the ad according to the ad selection factor. Such ad processing also includes dynamical texture mapping, object replacement, object addition, and audio/video data layering. The ad processing may also be combined with ad segment replacement. The result is a broadcast advertisement specifically targeted for a recipient and thereby likely to have a greater impact on that recipient'"'"'s buying patterns. These techniques may also be applied to a variety of content such as sitcoms and sports shows to adapt the content to a particular recipient.

Claims

1. A method of adapting broadcast content in the process of being broadcast to an audience, comprising;

generating a selection factor for a recipient of the broadcast content based on information relating to the recipient; and

adapting the broadcast content according to the selection factor.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

synchronizing the adapted broadcast content with other broadcast content being broadcast to the recipient.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

gathering information relating to a recipient of the broadcast content; and

utilizing the gathered information relating to the recipient to generate the selection factor.

4. The method according to claim 3,

said gathering including tracking content selected by the recipient.

5. The method according to claim 3,

said gathering including inputting information from a database.

6. The method according to claim 3,

said gathering including inputting information from the recipient via a user interface device.

7. The method according to claim 1,

said adapting including selecting a content segment according to the selection factor.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising:

storing a plurality of selectable content segments in a device local to the recipient.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

transmitting the plurality of selectable content segments to the local device.

10. The method according to claim 1,

said adapting including selecting an entire broadcast content according to the selection factor.

11. The method according to claim 1,

said adapting including assembling content from a plurality of broadcast content segments according to the selection factor.

12. The method according to claim 7,

said adapting including processing the selected broadcast content segment according to the selection factor.

13. The method according to claim 1,

said adapting including processing the broadcast content according to the selection factor.

14. The method according to claim 13,

said processing including changing a color, language, sound, or other visual or audio characteristic of the broadcast content.

15. The method according to claim 13,

said processing changing a length of the broadcast content and filling in a remaining time in a broadcast content time slot with at least one additional content segment.

16. The method according to claim 13,

said processing including mapping at least one selectable texture onto the broadcast content according to the selection factor.

17. The method according to claim 13,

said processing including mapping at least one selectable texture onto at least one selectable object of the broadcast content according to the selection factor.

18. The method according to claim 13,

said processing including replacing a selectable object of the broadcast content according to the advertisement selection factor.

19. The method according to claim 13,

said processing including adding at least one selectable object to the broadcast content according to the selection factor.

20. The method according to claim 13,

said processing including adding audio or video data to the broadcast content.

21. The method according to claim 1, wherein the recipient of the broadcast content is an individual.

22. The method according to claim 21,

said gathering including gathering an identity of the individual.

23. The method according to claim 1, wherein the recipient of the broadcast content is a group of individuals.

24. The method according to claim 23,

wherein said gathering including gathering an identity of the group.

25. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

adjusting the selection factor to learn or accommodate changes in the recipient.

26. The method according to claim 1,

said selection factor including a plurality of components each of which categorizes the recipient,

said generating utilizing at least one of the categorizations in at least one of the components to generate the selection factor.

27. The method according to claim 5,

said generating including data mining the database.

28. The method according to claim 1, wherein the broadcast content is a broadcast advertisement and the selection factor is an advertisement selection factor.

29. An apparatus for adapting broadcast content that is in the process of being broadcast, comprising:

a storage device storing a plurality of content segments;

a synchronization signal detector;

a selector operatively connected to a broadcast feed, said storage device and selection factor input,

said selector selecting between the broadcast content from the broadcast feed and at least one of the plurality of content segments from said storage device according to the selector factor.

30. The apparatus according to claim 29, wherein the broadcast content has an associated synchronization signal, the apparatus further comprising:

a synchronization signal detector operatively connected to the broadcast feed and said selector;

wherein when said synchronization signal detector detects the synchronization signal, said selector selects between the broadcast content from the broadcast feed and at least one of the plurality of content segments from said storage device according to the selection factor.

31. The apparatus according to claim 29, further comprising:

a selection factor generator operatively connected to said selection factor input of said selector, said selection factor generator generating the selection factor for a recipient of the broadcast content based on information relating to the recipient

32. The apparatus according to claim 31, further comprising:

a database of information relating to the recipient operatively connected to said selection factor generator,

said selection factor generator utilizing said database to generate the selection factor.

33. The apparatus according to claim 31,

said selection factor generator tracking content selected by the recipient to generate the selection factor.

34. The apparatus according to claim 31, further comprising:

a recipient interface device;

said selection factor generator utilizing inputs from the recipient entered via said recipient interface device to generate the selection factor.

35. The apparatus according to claim 29, wherein the broadcast content is a broadcast advertisement and the selection factor is an advertisement selection factor.

36. An apparatus for adapting broadcast content in the process of being broadcast, comprising:

content processor operatively connected to a broadcast feed and a selection factor input,

said content processor adapting the broadcast content according to the selection factor.

37. The apparatus according to claim 36, wherein the broadcast content has an associated synchronization signal, the apparatus further comprising:

a buffer device operatively connected to said broadcast feed; and

a synchronization signal detector operatively connected to the broadcast feed, said content processor and said buffer device,

wherein when said synchronization signal detector detects the synchronization signal, said content processor processes the broadcast content from the broadcast feed according to the selection factor and said buffer device synchronizes the processed content with a remainder of broadcast content.

38. The apparatus according to claim 36, further comprising:

a selection factor generator operatively connected to said selection factor input of said content processor, said selection factor generator generating the selection factor for a recipient of the broadcast content based on information relating to the recipient.

39. The apparatus according to claim 36, wherein the broadcast content is a broadcast advertisement and the selection factor is an advertisement selection factor.